News and views about the implementation of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act 2009 and other legislation, schemes and policies impacting the Right to Education of India's Children.

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Monday, January 27, 2014

RTE depriving students of right to food: Panel

BHOPAL: Two years after Right to Education Act came into force, 45 per
cent seats in private schools in the state reserved for children below
poverty line (BPL) are still vacant.
Members of Madhya Pradesh
State Commission for Protection of Child rights attributed the
unavailability of mid-day meal scheme at private schools as a big reason
for the vacancies.

MPSCPCR members Vibhanshu Joshi and R H Lata have written to the Union
ministry requesting amendments to the Act to ensure right to food for
students studying in private schools under RTE Act.
"The flaw is
defeating the purpose of both RTE and the Food Security Act. The
situation is like, either children get proper education or proper
nutrition," Joshi told TOI.
"The condition is same all over the
country. If just Madhya Pradesh is taken into consideration, 1.75 lakh
seats were reserved for children belonging to BPL families under RTE,
but only 95000 seats have been filled," he said.
"Non-availability of mid-day meal is one of the major reasons behind
nearly 80,000 seats remaining vacant. For rest of 95,000 children they
are being deprived of their right to food as Section 5 (1) (B) of Food
Security Act ensures free meals for children studying in government
schools, but forgets to mention BPL children studying in private schools
under RTE," Joshi said.
This is the situation when RTE is just 2 years old, the numbers are likely to rise in coming years, he said.